Low Profile Road Marker Protector

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a protector for a retro-reflective road marker mounted on a road that includes a top surface that has a generally flat region and a bottom surface oppositely disposed from the top surface. The generally flat region has an opening where the retro-reflective road marker can be at least partially mounted to the protector by deforming studs located along the perimeter of the opening such that the retro-reflective road marker is moveable independent from the protector. The protector is made from a moldable polymer and the top surface is operable to protect the road reflector from motor vehicle tires passing thereover.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/979,302, filed Oct. 11, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to retro-reflective marker for mounting to roads. More specifically, the invention relates to a plastic protector for retro-reflective markers mounted to roads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many regions, plastic retro-reflective road markers are mounted to the road surface to delineate the lanes. Retro-reflective markers mounted directly onto or into the road surface are damaged by the passing of motor vehicle tires over the markers. In particular, heavy motor vehicles such as trailer hauling trucks can cause significant damage and shorten the useable lifetime of retro-reflective road markers placed on the highway.

Additionally, it has been difficult to accurately position plastic retro-reflective road markers with respect to the road surface. If the retro-reflective marker is placed too low within the pavement surface, the lens is obscured and there is insufficient light reflected from the lens to delineate the lane. In contrast, if the retro-reflective marker extends too far above the road surface, it can become a hazard for vehicles passing over it and suffers premature damage due to tires passing over it.

Accordingly, it is desirable to have a protector for retro-reflective road markers which properly provides protection for the marker from damage by motor vehicle cars and can be accurately positioned with respect to the road surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a protector for a retro-reflective road marker that includes a top surface with a generally flat region with an opening where the retro-reflective road marker can be at least partially mounted and a bottom surface oppositely disposed from the top surface. The opening can extend through both the top surface and the bottom surface. The opening could also be bounded by a lip which the reflector is at least partially mounted on. The protector is made from moldable polymer and the top surface is operable to protect the road reflector from motor vehicle tires passing thereover.

The top surface of the protector has a pair of spaced apart side rails that are parallel to a longitudinal axis of the protector, the side rails extending above the bottom surface. The side rails can each have a flange that extends in a generally outward direction from the longitudinal axis and can provide support for the protector when the bottom surface is mounted to the road. The top surface also has a center portion that extends between the spaced apart side rails, the center portion having a pair of upper surfaces that extend transversely between the side rails and are inclined downwardly toward the opening. The upper surfaces can include a center ramp that is aligned on the longitudinal axis of the protector.

The upper surfaces could further include deformable studs located along the perimeter of the opening. The reflector could be at least partially mounted to the protector by deforming the studs such that a portion of the material that constitutes the stud overlaps an edge of the reflector. By at least partially mounting the reflector to the protector the reflector is able to move independently from the protector, which reduces the impact experienced by the retro-reflector when a tire passes thereover.

The bottom surface of the protector can have a generally flat surface operable to be attached to a road surface. The bottom surface can include a cavity that extends from the bottom surface towards the top surface. In some instances, the cavity is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and extends from the bottom surface towards the top surface and is directly under one of the center ramps. The bottom surface could further include a plurality of tabs extending outwardly from the bottom surface and/or a plurality of textured areas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the retro-reflector installed onto the protector;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the protector and the retro-reflector prior to installation;

FIG. 3 a is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the installation of the retro-reflector onto the protector;

FIG. 3 b is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the installation of the retro-reflector onto the protector;

FIG. 3 c is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the installation of the retro-reflector onto the protector;

FIG. 3 d is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the retro-reflector after it has been installed onto the protector;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention includes a plastic protector for a retro-reflective road marker. As such, the present invention has utility as an article that provides protection to road markers placed on the highway to delineate the lanes.

The protector for the retro-reflective road marker is a moldable plastic body of material that includes a top surface and a bottom surface. In some instances, the protector is made from a moldable polymer. The moldable polymer can be a hard, durable material such as polycarbonate. The moldable polymer can include any suitable polymer material or combination of polymer materials known to those skilled in the art, illustratively including a material made from 80% acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and 20% acrylic. The top surface has an opening wherein the retro-reflective road marker can be mounted and at least two side rails that extend above the retro-reflective road marker when it is mounted onto the protector.

In some instances, a center ramp can be included between the two side rails, the side rails and/or center ramp affording protection of the retro-reflective road marker from motor vehicle tires passing thereover. The protector can also include a bottom surface that has one or more cavities that extend from the bottom surface towards the top surface. The cavities afford for reduced weight, reduced cross-sectional thickness, and increased bottom surface area of the protector.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a low profile protector for a retro-reflective road marker is shown generally at reference numeral 10. The protector 10 includes a top surface 100 and a bottom surface 200 (FIG. 4).

The top surface 100 can include a pair of side rails 112 which are spaced apart from each other. Between the side rails 112 is a center portion 150. The center portion 150 includes a pair of upper surfaces 152 that extend transversely between the side rails 112 and can be inclined downwardly toward an opening 156. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a retro-reflective road marker R can be mounted to the protector 10 adjacent the opening 156. The pair of upper surfaces 152 can also include a slot 154, which affords for the removal of the road reflector R from the protector 10 by use of an instrument that fits at least partially within the slot 154 and applies leverage to the reflector R. For example, a screwdriver can be used to remove the reflector R from the protector 10 by placing the head of the screwdriver (not shown) within the slot 154 and prying up and/or against the reflector R.

Each of the upper surfaces 152 can include a center ramp 162. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the center ramp has a sidewall 163 that extends above the upper surface 152. It is appreciated that the pair of side rails 112 and the pair of center ramps 162 extend above the upper surface 152 to a height such that the reflector R when mounted within the opening 156 is protected by items rolling thereover. In some instances, the height of the center ramps 162 is equal to a plane extending across top surfaces 114 of the pair of side rails 112. In other instances, the height of the center ramps 162 is not equal to the height of the plane extending across top surfaces 114 and is less than or greater than the height of the side rails 112.

The pair of side rails 112 includes a sidewall 113, which extends in a generally upward direction from the upper surface 152 to the top surface 114. In some instances, the top surface 114 is an arcuate surface that increases in height from an end that is proximate to an edge 158 of the center portion 150. In this manner, a pair of low profile protective surfaces is provided for the protection of the reflector R. The pair of side rails 112 can include a flange 122 that extends in a generally outward direction from a longitudinal axis 110 of the protector 10, the flange 122 increasing the support area of the bottom surface 200 when the protector 10 is placed on a pavement surface. The flange 122 can also provide additional protection to the protector 10 and the reflector R when impacted from a generally sideward direction by a tire.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the bottom surface 200 is a generally flat surface and affords support for the protector 10 on a pavement surface when the bottom surface 200 has been placed in contact with pavement. The bottom surface 200 can include at least one cavity 210 and/or cavity 211. The cavity 210 and/or 211 extends from the bottom surface 200 towards the top surface 100. The cavity 210 and/or cavity 211 affords for an increased surface area of the bottom surface 200 and lighter weight for the protector 10.

The bottom surface 200 can further include a plurality of tabs 214 which extend outwardly from the bottom surface 200. The tabs 214 provide for an increased surface area of the bottom surface 200 and contribute to the accurate positioning of the protector 10 with respect to the road surface. In addition, the bottom surface 200 could also include a plurality of textured areas 212 which also increase the surface area of the bottom surface 200. The textured areas 212 could be comprised of a generally roughened surface, a plurality of ridges which extend outwardly from the bottom surface, or any combination thereof. The increased surface area of the bottom surface 200 afforded by the cavity 210 and/or cavity 211, tabs 214 and textured areas 212 provides for increased area that adhesive, if used to hold the protector 10 to the pavement surface, can adhere to.

In some instances, the cavity 210 and/or cavity 211 are included to afford a relatively consistent thickness of the protector 10 in order to decrease shrinkage and/or warpage during manufacture of the protector 10. As such, the design of a protector for a retro-reflective road marker can use cavities such as those shown in the figures to obtain a generally uniform thickness of the protector in order to reduce shrinkage and/or warpage during the molding process and thereby improve the consistency and/or quality of the product. In addition, the cavity 210 and/or cavity 211 affords for a reduction in the average cross-sectional thickness of the protector 10. Such a reduction in the average cross-sectional thickness of the protector 10 reduces expansion and contraction of the protector during temperature changes and affords for an increase in the useful lifetime of the protector 10 when in use.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 a-3 d, the retro-reflective road marker R is attached to the protector 10 using studs 180 disposed on the upper surfaces of the top surface. The opening 156 has a lip 157 bounding the opening. The lip 157 and the opening 156 are dimensioned such that the retro-reflective road marker R can sit on the lip 157 and not pass through the opening. After the retro-reflective road marker R is placed within the opening 156 and sits on the lip 157, the studs 180 can be deformed such that a polymer material overlaps the edges of the marker R and holds the marker in place and attached to the protector 10. The studs 180 can be deformed using heat, pressure, chemicals and combinations thereof. In some instances, the studs can be deformed by using heat from a soldering iron. In other instances, the studs can be deformed using ultrasonic welding. In some instances a bar 300 can have a soldering iron 400 attached thereto, with the soldering iron 400 brought into contact with the studs 180 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 b and 3 c. In other instances, the bar 300 can have two or more soldering irons 400 attached thereto, and the plate 300 can be attached to a movement device 500 that affords back and forth motion, e.g. up and down motion, such as a drill press. Once the protector 10 with the retro-reflector marker R within the opening 156 has been placed proximate to the plate 300, the movement device 500 can bring the soldering iron 400 into contact with the stud 180. It is appreciated that if the soldering iron is energized, and thus hot, that the stud 180 can be deformed in such a manner that part of the stud 180 overlaps a portion of the retro-reflector marker R and thereby attaches the reflector R to the protector 10.

Once the road reflector marker R is placed within the opening 156 and attached to the protector 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the protector 10 and/or the reflector R can be attached to a pavement surface. In some instances, the protector 10 is attached to a pavement surface using adhesive but the retro-reflective marker R is not directly attached to the pavement surface. In this way, the at least partially mounted retro-reflective marker R is free to vibrate independently from the protector 10, as seen in FIG. 3 d by the ghost lined marker R. By allowing the marker R to move independently from the protector 10 the impact experienced by the marker R when a tire rolls over the protector 10 and marker R can be reduced. In other instances, the retro-reflective marker R is attached to a pavement surface using adhesive while the protector 10 is not directly attached to the pavement. In this manner, the protector 10 absorbs the energy or impact of a tire rolling thereover and is free to vibrate, thereby allowing the impact to be absorbed by the protector 10 and at least partially isolate said impact from the marker R.

In this manner, a low profile protector for a retro-reflective road marker is provided. The foregoing drawings, discussion and description are illustrative of specific embodiments of the present invention, but they are not meant to be limitations upon the practice thereof. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the teaching presented herein. It is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the invention. 

1. A protector mounted to a road, for protecting a road reflector, said protector comprising: a body having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a generally flat region, said bottom surface oppositely disposed from said top surface and mounted to a road; said generally flat region dimensioned for the road reflector to be at least partially mounted thereon such that the road reflector is moveable independently from said protector; and said top surface having a structure extending above said generally flat region where the road marker is mounted, said structure dimensioned to protect the road reflector from motor vehicle tires passing thereover.
 2. The protector of claim 1, further comprising: an opening disposed in said generally flat region, said opening extending through said top surface and said bottom surface; and a lip bounding said opening, said lip dimensioned such that the road reflector is at least partially mounted on said lip.
 3. The protector of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of studs extending outwardly from said top surface, said studs being deformable such that a portion of said studs overlaps an edge of the road reflector.
 4. The protector of claim 1, wherein said structure is a pair of spaced apart side rails parallel to a longitudinal axis of said body.
 5. The protector of claim 4, wherein each of said pair of spaced apart side rails has a flange extending in a generally outward direction from said longitudinal axis.
 6. The protector of claim 5, wherein said flange has a support surface generally coplanar with said bottom surface, said support surface operable to provide support to said body when said bottom surface is mounted to the road.
 7. The protector of claim 4, wherein said top surface has a center portion with a pair of upper surfaces extending transversely between said pair of spaced apart side rails and inclined toward said bottom surface and said opening.
 8. The protector of claim 7, wherein each of said upper surfaces has a center ramp aligned on said longitudinal axis.
 9. The protector of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface is generally flat.
 10. The protector of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface has a cavity extending towards said top surface.
 11. The protector of claim 10, wherein said cavity extends in a generally perpendicular direction to said longitudinal axis.
 12. The protector of claim 10, wherein said cavity extends from said bottom surface towards said top surface directly under said center ramp, said cavity generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.
 13. The protector of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface further comprises a plurality of tabs extending outwardly from said bottom surface, said tabs being disposed along an outer perimeter of said bottom surface.
 14. The protector of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface further comprises a plurality of textured areas, said textured surfaces increasing the surface area of said bottom surface.
 15. The protector of claim 14, wherein textured areas comprises a plurality of parallel ridges extending outwardly from said bottom surface.
 16. A protector mounted to a road, for protecting a road reflector, said protector comprising: a body having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a generally flat region with an opening extending through said top surface and said bottom surface; a lip bounding said opening; a road reflector mounted at least partially within said opening on said lip; and a plurality of studs extending outwardly from said top surface, said studs being deformable such that upon deformation a portion of said studs overlaps an edge of the road reflector; said top surface also having a structure extending above said generally flat region where said road marker is mounted, said structure dimensioned to protect said road reflector from motor vehicle tires passing over said road reflector; said bottom surface oppositely disposed from said top surface and mounted to a road; said top surface and said bottom surface made from moldable polymer; said reflector moveable independently from said body.
 17. The protector of claim 16, wherein said structure is a pair of spaced apart side rails.
 18. The protector of claim 17, wherein said top surface has a center portion with a pair of upper surfaces extending transversely between said pair of spaced apart side rails and inclined toward said bottom surface and said opening.
 19. The protector of claim 18, wherein each of said upper surfaces has at least one stud located along a perimeter of said opening.
 20. A low profile protector for a road reflector mounted to a road, said protector comprising: a body having a pair of spaced apart side rails and a generally flat bottom surface, each of said spaced apart side rails having an arcuate profile with a thick portion between a pair of spaced apart thin portions, said pair of spaced apart thin portions being proximate the road; an opening within said body and between said pair of spaced apart side rails; a center portion with a pair of upper surfaces extending traversely between said pair of spaced apart side rails and inclined toward said generally flat bottom surface and said opening; a road reflector mounted to said body and located at least partially within said opening; a plurality of studs disposed on said pair of upper surfaces, said studs being deformable such that upon deformation a portion of said studs overlaps an edge of said road reflector to at least partially mount said reflector to said body, said road reflector being moveable independently from said protector; said thick portion of each of said spaced apart side rails being dimensioned to protect the road reflector; and said generally flat bottom surface operable to be attached to the road using an adhesive. 